Star Sign
by DarkHonda
Summary: Inspired by a dream. When Snape discovers his beloved had died while giving birth to a baby girl, he vows to find her. One day, unexpectedly, he does. AU. Snape x OC. Oneshot. EWE.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters you recognize. I only own the (very short) plot and the circumstances.

**A/N:** Hi there, this piece was inspired by a dream. I usually ship HGSS so it was sort of strange writing this. This will be a oneshot, mainly because I can't see how I can develop the storyline.

Story dedicated to lovely **Idina Menzel**, who is one of my favourite artists (not that she will ever see this).

Enjoy!

**Star Sign**

By

DarkHonda aka Tal

Severus Snape was finally home; he breathed in the sweet scent of the familiar flowerbed and had to fight himself not to lay on the grass and enjoy the sun. Everyone thought Severus Snape lived at the Snape Manor or as it is now known: Spinner's End, but as a (former) spy, a man who knew wars and death, a simple staircase led from behind the hearth and through an underground tunnel to this; a patch of heaven right under everyone else's nose. It was his heaven in many ways, only there he could meet his memories of happiness, only there he could sense the presence of his blue eyed, tan skinned beauty.

And there he was now, closing his eyes in the sun and breathing in not only the marvelous scent, but also _her_ presence, as if she was there to caress his skin with her fingertips. How someone like her could have ever loved him? A question that echoed every time he thought of her, every time he has heard her name on the lips of others and every time he remembered how lovely was their time together.

He never spoke her name, it was something he swore to never do again since the day she disappeared. Three months he spent on searching for her, his every waking moment dedicated to finding her, and it was the first time he has ever failed. A year later her Deceased Certificate arrived via Owl and he was shattered to pieces. He knew it was Voldemort. It had to be! And so, he joined the Order of Phoenix, there was nothing he could gain from the life upon the earth.

Throughout the years he found out Voldemort himself did not know the reason of her sudden death. It was something Severus could never quite figure out: how could Voldemort not know about the death of his intended? Snape swore to solve the mystery, to comprehend was happened, if she could have been saved… but none of his efforts ever succeeded. Her family hated him and refused to acknowledge their relationship ever existed and he was left with no answers.

He sighed deeply as the years played in his head; he never had any rest or peace and it was his burden, his punishment for not finding her, for not being a better man. He accepted that and knew that roaming the earth with a meaningless existence was nothing compared to the helplessness that washed him in every waking moment.

"Severus Snape."

He opened his eyes, wand in hand, alert, how could he not notice there was someone out there?

"Now, Sevy, you don't want to blast your sister in law into oblivion, would you?" Cold blue eyes, straight black hair, a smirk and a heavy body build. Severus Snape snarled.

"What do you want, _Isadora_?"

"It's funny how you sink in delusions of memories, seeing as you haven't even bothered to come to the funeral." The sweet voice stung.

"If I was ever notified on a funeral, I might have taken part in one. I wasn't, as you very well know, Isadora." He replied coolly, refusing to answer her bite.

"Take this," The woman levitated a rolled parchment his way. "You may call it a blast from the past." She added with a snicker and apparated away. Muttering a curse under his breath, Snape snatched the roll of parchment from the air, and rolled it open.

His breath caught in his lungs;

A few documents were rolled together but the first was the one that made him freeze. It was a Birth Certificate of one called Ivy Severis Prince, who was born – and here his heart threatened to stop – on the same day _she_ had died: September 19th, 1979. The second document announced a baby girl was given to adoption due to the mother dying at childbirth and no familial claims on the newborn. Lastly, there was a shabby, tired looking envelope, sealed in a strong magic.

_Severus Snape._

It was written in _her_ hand writing. He gently caressed the letters, each tender, beautiful letter that spelled his name. Was this a long forgotten gift? He gently opened the envelope and opened the folded papers, holding his breath.

_"My dear Severus,"_ It read.

_"By now you must have searched for me for years, ages if I know you. I'm sorry, my love. I'm so sorry about what will transpire from the moment you read this letter.  
I am with child, Severus. Your child. Our child. And yet I fear I will not survive giving birth."_ His heart constricted painfully._ "Only you know about my gift and I have seen it, I have seen her. A baby girl for you to nurture and love. Oh, I have already given her a name in my dreams, Ivy. Iris, Ivana, Isis, Idina and Ivy."_ She was referring to the women in her family, a line of women whose names always start with 'I', even her sister, Isadora. He liked the name she has chosen for the baby. Ivy. It sounded well and had an aura of power and respect. Yes, his beauty knew which name fitted a child of his the most.

_"She will have my hair and your build, my nerve and your wisdom and you needn't worry, Sev, she will have my nose, too. I know how you worry about this. She will be beautiful and very much the essence of us both and I fear this would anger Tom. He would recognize her looks and he would realize at once who fathered our child. I worry for you, my love, as you will be the only loving family Ivy would have left and I want you to survive for her as I will not make it."_ Her writing at this point was a mess, the obvious stains on the paper inclined she cried while writing this part. Severus wanted to cry along, too, but years as a spy locked the tears away. Severus Snape could not cry.

_"I've cast a spell that would alter some of her looks, her eyes and hair would be brown and ordinary, and every disguising feature would make her seem the girl next door, as the muggles say. You would recognize her by the small mark on her nape, all the women in my family have this mark you very well know."_ His daughter would have a star on her nape, just below the hairline, mostly concealed by her hair. He smiled sadly as he remembered it was his most favourite part to kiss on _her_ body.

_"Once you meet her and recognize our daughter, you would know how to lift the spell I've cast to alter her looks. Make sure she is prepared for the drastic change, her natural looks are so different from the ones I have spelled for her.  
Be patient and understanding when you approach her, Sev, I know how impatient you can be, but girls tend to take changes very seriously, support her and make sure you answer all her questions. Be there for her, Severus, just as you have always been there for me, my love."_ He would treasure this daughter, his daughter as his beauty ordered him to. He would follow her last request.

_"As final precaution, I will ask for Ivy to be adopted. Do not be mad at me, my love, for sacrificing your time with our baby, it is you both that I wish to protect. She will be adopted by muggles and when the letter from Hogwarts comes for her, you will know her – first as a teacher and later, as a father. I hope she turns out to be like you, Sev, I hope she'll make us proud."_ He tore his eyes from the letter, unable to keep reading. The lump in his throat pushed and stung and he bit his lip to hard that he was bleeding. This was a letter of goodbye, this was what he was seeking for since the day he knew she died. And she never forgot him, she never left him because of fear or because of fright. She left him because she wanted to protect their child. A child that would be her mother's daughter, a child that would be all that is left in this world from his beauty.

_"I love you, Severus, and I love our child so much. Protect her and keep her safe from harm, love her for both of us and know that one day, we shall meet again. I will be waiting for you, anxious for our family to be reunited. _

_Yours forever, Idina."_

A photo fell from in between the sheets of parchment; it was a muggle photo of _her_, dressed in a flowery dress, her lovely hair cascading down her shoulders, curls of ebony. She was smiling and her hand was resting on a small pregnant belly. She was so beautiful, radiating with motherhood and delight…

But she was no longer.

His lips quivered and he bit his tongue.

He will find their daughter. Ivy.

* * *

Snape watched disgustingly as the golden trio made their way into the Great Hall, chattering along with their little friends. Snape had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes at the three. They were the most insufferable students he had ever come to meet and considering who their parents were, it should say a great deal. He watched as Draco Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, yet another trio, walked past into the Great Hall as well. It wasn't that he liked them over the top or hated them, they were, eventually, just students.

And as for all those who claim he favoured Slytherins, well, what could he say? He did. Slytherins were always the first to be suspected when something unusual happened; they were the most prejudiced against students in the school and even when out of school! And Severus Snape had to show them that being a Slytherin is not that bad, that it had its advantages.

It was an exceptionally warm day in the Scottish territories and even Severus Snape could not blame the students who were wearing tee shirts and short jeans and the girls who were wearing their skirts without leggings. Dumbledore has given his special permission for the students to be semi-indecent. Of course this situation has allowed indecent situations to rise and he took it upon himself to make the dungeons as cool as the arctic. Students who were brazen enough to walk with sandals and shorts were immediately regretting the hasty decision once settling into their seats for Potions class.

There, amidst brewing cauldrons and sweaty foreheads, Snape found some sort of relief from his thoughts; those damned thoughts that prevented two nights worth of sleep. A small person, well – small_er_ than him, roamed this dangerous world, a person he was in charge of was out there. Possibly, right under his nose, and when he turned to look at the students brewing… it could be anyone of these girls, working their minds and hands to create Dreamless Sleep Potions.

He breathed in and out, calming himself as he walked throughout the class, watching the dimwits of the class confuse ingredients and make the usually purple tinge of the, potion into a green one. They should all fail, there was not one student, not even one who deserved to have a mark other than D in this class. He clenched his jaw in anger, yes, he could see the horrific future ahead of the Wizarding world; with such breed no wonder Lord Voldemort gained immense power: the wizardry society was a society of imbeciles who could not work out one simple potion!

Then, his eyes traced a cauldron which contained a purplish liquid and he stopped, examining the brewer. She had her wild curls somehow collected into a very messy bun on her head with a pencil and thus, presented the world with a delicate neck on which he could easily recognize a small star.

All the blood drained from his face in matter of seconds.

"Professor Snape." Someone called, yet he could not respond.

"Professor, Professor Snape!" A voice repeated and Severus caught a grip.

"Out. All of you! Out this very instant!" He commanded and the students quickly obeyed. In matter of short moments Severus found himself to be alone in the Potions classroom.

Hermione Granger.

It was Hermione Granger.


End file.
